Officials: Woman left young children in DeBary bar parking lot for 2 hours in the cold

Published: Monday, March 4, 2013 at 9:32 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, March 4, 2013 at 9:28 p.m.

A DeBary woman was arrrested and accused of drinking in a bar while leaving two little girls outside in a cold car for two hours early Monday, officials said.

The suspect, 30-year-old Cheryn Scaggs, was imbibing at the Shotz Sports Bar & Grill in DeBary between midnight and 2 a.m. while the two girls — ages 1 and 4 — sat in the back seat of her sport utility vehicle, Volusia County sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.

The deputy learned that Scaggs had asked several bar patrons to help her get home, Haught said. When the other patrons went outside with Scaggs, though, they noticed the two youngsters in the back seat of the vehicle, Haught said.

At that moment, the temperature was in the 30s, Haught said, and Scaggs' SUV was not running.

Patrons who were questioned by the deputy said they noticed Scaggs walk out of the bar several times, but they had no idea the children were in the SUV; a visor had been placed across the windshield to obscure the view, Haught said.

One of the patrons said Scaggs had even mentioned that the girls had been left with a neighbor, Haught said.

Volusia County Fire Services responded to the scene and determined the children were unharmed and all right. They were placed with relatives.

Scaggs was charged with child neglect. She was being held Monday night in the Volusia County Branch Jail on $10,000 bail, a booking officer said.

<p>A DeBary woman was arrrested and accused of drinking in a bar while leaving two little girls outside in a cold car for two hours early Monday, officials said. </p><p> The suspect, 30-year-old Cheryn Scaggs, was imbibing at the Shotz Sports Bar & Grill in DeBary between midnight and 2 a.m. while the two girls — ages 1 and 4 — sat in the back seat of her sport utility vehicle, Volusia County sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said. </p><p> A patrol deputy noticed a crowd outside the tavern, 167 S. Charles R. Beall Blvd., at 2 a.m. and drove in to investigate, Haught said. </p><p> The deputy learned that Scaggs had asked several bar patrons to help her get home, Haught said. When the other patrons went outside with Scaggs, though, they noticed the two youngsters in the back seat of the vehicle, Haught said. </p><p> At that moment, the temperature was in the 30s, Haught said, and Scaggs' SUV was not running. </p><p> Patrons who were questioned by the deputy said they noticed Scaggs walk out of the bar several times, but they had no idea the children were in the SUV; a visor had been placed across the windshield to obscure the view, Haught said. </p><p> One of the patrons said Scaggs had even mentioned that the girls had been left with a neighbor, Haught said. </p><p> Volusia County Fire Services responded to the scene and determined the children were unharmed and all right. They were placed with relatives. </p><p> Scaggs was charged with child neglect. She was being held Monday night in the Volusia County Branch Jail on $10,000 bail, a booking officer said.</p>